This invention relates to a roll-up type of shutter, formed of pivotally connected slats, having reinforcing strips formed along the adjacent edges of the slats for the purposes of resisting penetration by impacting objects.
Roll type shutters are formed, in general, of a series of horizontally elongated, narrow, slats which are pivotally connected together along their adjacent horizontal edges. Thus, the slats may be rolled up around a suitable hub or axle or, alternatively, rolled down to form an articulated panel. Such shutters are normally mounted above a window opening or a door opening or the like in a building structure. Thus, the shutters are either rolled up above the opening, out of the way, or extended downwardly into the panel formation to cover the opening.
Shutters of this type are typically used to cover a building opening to prevent entry of objects or people through the opening. In high wind storm areas, shutters are commonly used to protect window and door openings against wind hurled debris. For example, during hurricanes such type of shutters are used to prevent debris from being thrown through window openings. In such storm areas, the shutters normally are kept rolled up out of the way until needed for protection.
Regardless as to the location in which they are used, the most important function of such shutter panels is to prevent penetration of an opening by forcefully applied objects, whether high wind debris or manually applied objects.
In the past, roll-up type shutters formed of pivotably connected slats have been able to resist a limited amount of force without being penetrated. In recent years, because of severe building damages due to hurricane type storms, the need for stronger, penetration resistant shutters has been recognized. However, to be acceptable to building owners, particularly private home or apartment owners, such shutters must be inexpensive and must appear to be similar to those customarily used in the past. That is, such shutters must not appear to be unusually bulky or unsightly or unattractive.
Thus, the present invention relates to providing a roll-up type of shutter which visually appears to be the same as prior shutters, but which is made with visually unnoticeable reinforcing strips at the intersections between adjacent slats, to provide bar-like horizontal reinforcements across the shutter, and with hidden reinforcing inserts located within each slat.